Something Like Real Love
by Jesse Khaos
Summary: Axel's suffering from weird headaches, and has to put up with babysitting a new organization member. Things just can't get any worse for the redhead, but like most things they can only get better. Akuroku
1. Trouble

AN: Here's a little something I was working on a while back, found it sitting around inside my old flash drive.  
It's not finished but I have a good amount of chapters to post so yeah enjoy.  
Disclamier: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any of it's character used in this story.

SOMETHING LIKE REAL LOVE

Chapter I  
Trouble

The pain in Axel's head only grew as the day went by. The headache not only kept from getting work done but from getting out of bed at all. He just sat there doubled over clutching and rubbing the back of his head. The headaches weren't new in the least bit. He'd had them on and off ever since he could remember but recently they'd been mind numbingly more frequent. The pain wasn't the only thing that was bugging the fire haired man though, it was also the fact that with the pain came strange, yet vaguely familiar images.

He gave a heavy sigh and picked himself up from his bed and stared for his bathroom. He didn't dare turn on the lights because it would only make his head hurt again.

Opening the medicine cabinet he reached knowingly for the aspirin and popped a couple of the white pills from the bottle and into his mouth, Axel shuttered at the feeling of the pills running down his throat. He caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror and was not suspired by what he saw. He looked like shit plain and simple. The beginnings of dark circles were noticeable under his now lack luster green eyes, and his usual shock of fiery hair was sad and dead.

Lumbering back into his room and into the comforting darkness, he fell into the warmth of the soft sheets of his bed. As the redhead just began to settle into the comfort a knock resounded throughout the walls of the room, causing a deep groan of disappiontment to escape Axel.

"What?" He said from his bed loud enough to make his head ring.

"It's Xigbar, now open up."  
Axel groaned again and forced himself off the bed, making his way over to the door. Opening it he came face to face with the Free Shooter.

"What do ya want huh?"  
Xigbar just smiled at the sight of the redhead.

"You look like shit" the older Nobody said in a very matter of fact tone.

Axel just gave the older man a smug look.  
"Yeah, thanks for pointing that out. Now what do you want?" Axel said stepping out into the hallway and closing his bedroom door behind him.

"Xemnas wanted me to come down and see why is it that you've been missing meetings for the last three days."

"Oh and why is it that he couldn't come and see for himself?"

"Come on Axel you know how he is."

"Yeah I know" Axel said ruffling the back of his hair and leaning up against his bedroom door.

"So what's been wrong with ya huh?"  


Axel just shrugged his shoulders.  
"I don't know. I've been having really bad headaches lately." The redhead informed the older man.  
Xigbar just nodded in understanding.

"Well I don't know if it's any consolation, but Demyx has been worried about you."  
Axel nodded and looked up at Xigbar.

"I know I'm not getting off that easy. I'm guessing Xem wants to see me?"  
Xigbar gave a small laugh and started to walk away.

"You got it Red" and with that disappeared into a portal of darkness.  
Axel just shook his head and sighed. Xemnas would have his head if he didn't go to the meeting today.  
Making up his mind he headed back into his bedroom and got dressed and took two more aspirin.  
Standing in his bathroom he took one last look at himself in the mirror. He still looked like shit.

In the large meeting room, Axel sat in his designated white chair in a slump with his head propped up on his hand awaiting Xemnas' arrival. He was in trouble there was no doubt about that, he just wished that the punishment would come sooner.  
As if on cue The Superior appeared in his throne above. Axel looked up at the silver haired man, who in turn was looking down at him with an expressionless face.

"So number VIII, I'm going to guess that you know why you're here?" Xemnas said in his usual slow monotone. Axel just nodded. "So why is it that you've been missing so many meetings?"  
Axel just sighed and straightened up in his chair.

"I haven't been feeling very good lately, really bed headaches and stuff." The redhead explained. Xemnas just nodded in mock understanding.  
Axel who was no longer staring up at The Superior but straight ahead turning over the action in his head that he had just received from Xemnas, the bastard couldn't care less about what was wrong with him.

"Number VIII."  
Axel turned his emerald gaze back to the silver haired man.

"I have an assignment for you this afternoon."

"Yes"

"You are to go Twilight Town to retrieve our newest member for me."  
Axel nodded.

"What's he look like?"

"Oh, you'll know when you find him he's…different." Axel cringed inwardly, because when Xemnas spoke the last word a smile broke out across his face. That man's smile was something he was sure could kill any living being.

"Alright…is that all?" despite himself he had to ask, it all just seemed too simple.

"That is all Number VIII. Until next time" the silver haired man said before disappearing into darkness.  
Axel slumped back into his chair with a sigh as he raked his hand through his mane of hair.

"Fuck" he said under his breath.  
He still couldn't believe it. He had survived with his life, he was staring to think that all the stuff Vexen had told him about his meetings with Xemnas had been lies, but then again Vexen was the one causing trouble for him. Axel shook his head and disappeared from the meeting room.

Back in The Hall of Empty Melodies, the redhead made his way to his friend's room. Once he came upon it he could hear and feel the low beat of music admitting from behind the door. He knocked as hard as he could to be heard over the music. A few seconds later the door opened and a young blonde with a wide smile on his face appeared on the other side.

"Hey there" said the blonde in a rather chipper tone before stepping aside and letting Axel into his room. Axel walked in watching his step as not to step on anything on the blonde's messy floor.

"So what's going on?" The blonde asked as he tugged on a t-shirt, "Heard that you had to go and see Mr. Xem" he walked over and took a seat on his bed beside Axel, "What for?"  
Axel sat back propped up with his arms behind him and his head thrown back.

"Well you know that I haven't been feeling too great lately and missing meetings and stuff? Well he gave me an assignment for this afternoon." The redhead said turning and looking at the blonde with a smirk on his lips. The blonde backed away and stared at Axel with a questioning look on his face.

"Well what's he making you do huh, oh I know, he's sending you to go and kill a whole bunch of Heartless like he did to that creep Vexen right?" The blonde blurted out almost too cheerfully that it made Axel mentally shutter.

"No" Alex picked himself up off the bed, "He told that he wants me to go to Twilight Town and retrieve a new member" the redhead explained as he walked in a semi-circle around his friend's bed.

"New member?" Demyx questioned.

"Yeah I know it's like, that's it? I was seriously thinking he was going to send me to some uncharted part of nothingness or something equally retarded." Axel paused and ran his hand through this hair, "But I guess I can't complain, at least I got off easy right?"

The blonde shrugged.  
"I guess. If you ask me I think it's pretty unfair" The teen said. Axel's face contorting into a scowl,

"Demyx are you still pissed about that mission that Xem sent you on?" the blonde just threw the redhead a spiteful glare.

"Alright, alright I get it so you got your ass beat, it's alright it happens to the best of us."

"Yeah it just seems to happen to me a lot more often" the teen sulked.

"Whatever Dem. Listen I gotta go or else I'll be even more trouble. I'll catch ya later" said Axel as he ruffled the blonde's mullet and headed out of his room.  
Heading down the hall to his bedroom the redhead almost lost any sense of wit he had about him when suddenly Xigbar descended from above him suspended in midair upside down, his face right in front of him.

"So what happened?" The older man piped up and smiled at the priceless expression on Axel's face. Axel scoffed and rolled his eyes, walking past him.

"What's it matter to you huh?" The taller man snapped.

Righting himself and regaining his ground,  
"What man, I thought we were buddies?" Xigbar said with a dumb smile on his face, once he caught up with his subordinate.  
Axel just groaned and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Come on tell me"

"When did that become established?"

"When did what become established?"

"That I was your buddy Xiggy"  
the older man stopped for a second but then continued onward with Axel who had stopped in front of his bedroom door.

"Well I just though since you're so cool with everyone ya know"  
Axel wagged a finger at the shorter man.

"Correction, you're buddies with Xaldin and Luxord not me. As for your earlier question though you'll know when I get back." The redhead said as he opened his bedroom door leaving Xigbar out in the hall with nothing more than a dismissive wave of his hand.

Once inside Axel walked into his bathroom turning on the faucet he splashed some water in his face in an attempt to wake himself up.  
"Are we buddies? Fuck, hell if I know" he muttered to himself as he left the bathroom and walked over to his dresser and grabbed up his gloves and pulled them on. He paused in his actions and dropped his arms to his sides considering something.

"I mean it's not like I try to make friends with them do I? I mean it's them that come to me looking for a friend…right?" he grabbed his coat and shrugged it on. "Whatever" he whispered to himself as he disappeared into darkness.

AN: Well hope you guys liked that.  
Please post reviews of any kind they make me smile and want to better my writing.


	2. Twilight

AN: Figured that I'd post the next chap seeing as I don't know when I'm going to be able to do that once school starts up in like...well tomorrow.  
So hope this is will hold ya over 'til then.  
Disclaimer: I do not in anyway own Kingdom Hearts or any of it's characters being used in this story.

SOMETHING LIKE REAL LOVE

Chapter II  
Twilight

When Axel arrived at Twilight Town the sun was just going down. The town's streets were empty save for the few people who wondered by the redhead from time to time throwing him curious glances. Axel let out a sigh and looked up and down the street,

"He's different" repeating the words that Xemnas had spoken to him. "Great way to make this difficult Xemmy" he muttered to himself.  
He made his way into what he believed to be the town square. It was deserted here as well.

"What the hell, where is everyone?" he whispered to himself. Walking into a nearby ally he looked about with no luck of finding anyone. He came to a dead end, "Great" he said looking around before turning back and that's when he saw it, an opening. He took a step forward into the opening and found that it lead into a little makeshift room. Stepping inside he noticed something about the room just didn't seem right.

Looking over to the left he noticed a young boy probably in his late teens sitting on a beat up old couch with headphones on, scribbling away in a notebook. The kid hadn't noticed him enter. As Axel stood there he could not ignore the odd feeling that had suddenly washed over him. Was this him, the new member that Xemnas has been talking about? Axel took a step toward the kid which got a start out of him. The young blonde's head whipped around to look at the cloaked and hooded intruder that had entered the hideout. Jumping to his feet the teen looked at Axel with fierce sky blue eyes.

"Who are you?" the blonde demanded as he ripped the headphones off and threw them onto the couch along with the notebook he had been writing in.  
Axel laughed to himself which threw off the teen who was now scowling at him.

"Calm down kid" the redhead said taking off the hood that shrouded his face. "The name's Axel and I've been ordered here to get you" Axel stepped closer to the teen. "Now that we've got that out of the way why don't you make my life easy and just come along alright?"  
"What do you mean you've been ordered to get me? Where are you taking me?" The teen asked.  
Axel smiled to himself.

"You've been having weird dreams lately haven't you? Dreams about someone you don't know, about people and places you've never met or been to. Ever get those feelings that you don't know who you really are?" Axel offered. He watched the blonde's expression change from one of annoyance to one of shock.

"H-how'd you know?" the blonde said taking a step closer to the redhead.  
Axel smiled to himself.

"Wouldn't you like to know" he said as he turned to leave he felt the blond grab hold of his arm holding him back.

"How do you know these things, tell me please I need to know." the teen said almost begging. Axel turned around and looked down at the boy.

"'Cause kid I was the same way, well that is until they helped me."

"Who? Who helped you?" the teen said letting go of Axel's arm.

"The Organization, they gave me a reason to live, if you will. 'Cause you see kid we have more in common than you think."

"What do you mean?"

"Ah, so many questions. Well if you want them answered come with me." Axel said opening up a portal of darkness and holding out a hand to the teen.  
The teen hesitated for a second but stepped forward taking Axel's hand and was pulled into darkness.

The two arrived shortly later at the Altar of Naught. Axel looked over the place finding Xemnas to be nowhere in sight. The teen stood closely behind the redhead.

"Where are we?"

"Shut up" Axel snapped. "Xemnas!" He shouted into the empty room. A few seconds past before The Superior appeared.

"Yes Number VIII?"

"I found him" Axel said pulling the teen in front of him by the arm. The startled teen tried to make himself as small as he could under Xemnas' gaze. The silver haired man smiled yet again, sending chills down Axel's spine. "Is that all you wanted sir?" the redhead asked before he turned to leave. Xemnas nodded.

Once back in the Hall of Empty Melodies he was glad to be rid of that kid. He didn't know what it was but he didn't like the feeling he got when he was around him. All he knew was that it made his headaches act up again, the beginnings of a dull pain in the back of his head.

Walking into his room he made his way to the large fireplace that sat at the far end of the room and dropped himself into his armchair in front of it. Heaving a sigh he watched as the flames danced about letting his mind wonder in circles, not letting it loiter on any specific thought. The throbbing in the back of his head had become considerably less dull and was now making his head throb, closing his eyes in an attempt to alleviate the pain, but to no avail.

With a groan he picked himself up from his chair and lumbered over to his dresser on the other end of his room by his bed and grabbed up a pack of cigarettes. Shaking one out he brought it to his lips, snapping his fingers he produced a small flame that hung suspended in the air above his thumb.

Lighting the cigarette and taking a long drag letting the smoke fill his lungs before exhaling a thin spiral of smoke. Holding the cigarette between his lips he shrugged off his coat revealing a black tank top, hanging it on its respective hook he then slipped off his uniform black boots and socks setting them off to the side, and then tugged off his black jeans, throwing them into a corner of his room by his bed and grabbing up and tugging on a pair of flannel sweatpants that drapped around just blow his hips.

He let himself fall back onto his bed, eyes closed feeling himself already begin to relax he brought his hand up removing the cigarette from his lips, the nicotine doing his aching head a well deserved service. Opening his emerald gaze the face of his superior came into focus, sitting bolt upright with a scowl on his face.

"What the fuck Xiggy, You gotta stop it with that shit!" Axel shouted.

"Oh so you are awake, I mean not like it matters I would've just woken you up any ways."

"Why the hell are you in here anyway Xiggy?"

"Are you telling me that that little runt is the new member that Xemnas sent you to go and get?" Xigbar said completely ignoring the redhead's earlier outburst.

"Wha- yeah and?"  
"What's so great about him huh? He's just some little kid, I mean didn't he learn anything from recruiting Demyx?" The older man said staring intently at the young man.

"Hey, leave Dem out of this…"

"Oh shut the fuck up Red you know as well as I do that that kid can't fucking look after himself."

"Okay sure, but how do you know that he…"

"Roxas"  
  
"What"

"Roxas, that's his name"

"Xem gave him a name already?"

"Sure did, and you know what else?"

"What?"

"He's putting you in charge of the kid"

"What! Why me?"

"Xemnas said it was part of you punishment."  
Axel gritted his teeth. This was the last thing he wanted to do. He didn't want to be around that kid he knew that for a fact. That's when something dawned on the redhead.

"Xiggy, did Xem say anything about who's Nobody he is?"  
The older man shook his head,

"Nope, sorry didn't catch any of that stuff I left to come and bug you."

"Damn…" Axel racked his free hand through his hair and flicked some of the crumbling ash off the end of his cigarette.

"Listen Red I'll let you in on whatever I find out, I mean that is if you don't learn anything from the runt staying with you."  
Axel nodded and looked up at the older man a friendly smirk of his lips.

"Alright, thanks for that buddy."  
Xigbar let out a bark of laugher and reached out tousling Axel's hair,

"See I told ya we was friends didn't I?"  
"Well Xiggy if you put it that way do you think you could watch the kid for me when I'm out or whatever?"  
The older man scoffed and threw the redhead a mocking smile.

"As if Red, he's your punishment not mine man."

"Fine be that way. Just don't be coming asking me for favors anytime soon." Axel said laying back down on his bed with his hands behind his head.

"Don't worry I won't be. Oh yeah I almost forgot." The older man said as he quickly grabbed out a small glass vale containing small red pills from his inside coat pocket and handing it to the redhead. "Zexion gave these to me after I told him what was going on with you, he said they should help."  
Axel stared questionably at the small red pills, he didn't know if he could trust them, but then again he did trust Zexion after all, now if it were Vexen that would be another story.

"Well I'll see ya later Red I gotta go" Xigbar said with a wave of his hand and disappeared into darkness.

"See ya" the redhead said to the now empty room. Axel sat up and put out the remains of his cigarette in an ashtray on his dresser and setting down the bottle of pills. Doing this he noticed for the first time that he still had his gloves on, pulling them off and laying them next to the ashtray. He eyed the bottle for a moment before snatching it up and shaking out one of the small round red pills into his hand, seeing as he didn't know how much he was suppose to take. 

Taking the pill he laid back down on his bed and after a few minutes he began to fall into a peaceful slumber.

Five hours had pasted since the Flurry of Flames had dozed off into an unusual dreamless sleep. The goings on of the headquarters completely unknown to him, even as his older superior appeared in his bedroom from the darkness with Roxas in toe. The older man took a couple steps forward reaching out a hand and shaking the redhead awake. Slowly Axel rolled over on his side to stare at his eye patched visitor who was grinning down at him stupidly. Groaning, Axel sat up on his bed rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"I swear you are probably the ugliest thing I'll ever wake up to" He said, his voice lazy and slow.

"Harsh Red, anyway, there's the kid," the Free Shooter said nodding his head in the direction of the blonde.  
Noticing the teen for the first time that odd feeling came over him again.

"He don't got a place to crash yet so he's rooming with ya."  
"Great, just perfect, anything else?" the redhead asked getting off his bed and walking over and leaning with his back against his dresser and grabbing up his pack of cigarettes.

"Ya really shouldn't smoke, it's a nasty little habit" Xigbar informed the taller man.  
Axel looked up at him with one eye as he lit his cigarette, taking a drag and removing it from his lips, exhaling a thin wisp of smoke.

"And you really shouldn't drink; it causes anger issues and insanity in senile old men such as yourself." The younger man replied mockingly.  
Xigbar scoffed and took a few steps closer to Axel so as not to be overheard by Roxas.

"The kid hasn't said much of anything since ya brought him here. If he does say something of any importance though let me know will ya Red?"  
Axel nodded in answer. And with that the older man turned on his heel and made his way out of the room, throwing the teen a smug smile. Roxas just scowled back.  
Axel stood leaning against the dresser eyeing the teen curiously. Removing the cigarette from his lips he let the hand fall to his side and flicked off the ash accumulating at the end. Pushing himself away from the dresser he walked slowly over to the blonde.

"So your name's Roxas now. Well then Roxas if I'm going to be looking after to you for who knows how long I think…."

"I don't need anyone watching over me, I can take care of myself."  
Axel looked down at the kid with a grimace

"So much for not saying anything" the redhead said waving off the blonde's last comment, "Listen Roxas, and listen good 'cause I'm only going to say this once. You're part of the Organization now and with you being the lowest member and all you have to watch yourself. Now I don't know exactly why Xemnas wanted someone as young as you but I can only wonder. Anyways, first of all the other members here including myself aren't on the greatest terms with each other. Second, if you don't want to get on anybody's bad side stay away from them if they don't want anything to do with you, otherwise most of these people here are pretty okay. Third, stay away from Larxene"

"Larxene?" The teen blurted out.

"Yeah she's Number XII; she's not a particularly well mannered person and with you under her she finally has someone to push around, I wouldn't let her if I was you. And last but not least, you can trust me kid. I know I may have come off sort of smug when we first met but I can assure you that I'm your friend." Axel said placing a hand on Roxas' shoulder and looking into his piercing blue eyes. Something about them made the older man shiver inwardly. Axel just gave Roxas a grudged smile and turned away from the blonde.

"Well you're lucky that I have a couch that has a fold out bed."  
The redhead walked into his small living space, in front of the fire place and began fixing up the teen's bed.  
Roxas stood close behind watching the redhead as he laid out sheets and pillows on the small mattress.

"It's not much but it'll do right?" Axel said turning around to face the blonde who nodded in answer. Axel walked past Roxas,  
"I don't know about you but I'm going back to bed" the redhead said as he took another one of the pills. This kid was going to be the death of him. His head was pounding horribly and he just couldn't ignore the strange aching in his chest any longer. Lying down on his bed he closed his eyes letting the warm hand of sleep wrap its warm fingers about him.

AN: Hope you enjoyed that.  
Reviews please, I really like to know what you guys think.


	3. Love?

AN: Okay here's the third chapter. I was going to post this when I was at school but the stupid fliter system there doesn't let me access this site.  
Anyways here it is hope you like it.  
Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or any its characters used in this story.

SOMETHING LIKE REAL LOVE

Chapter III  
Love?

The next morning Axel woke up early to get some fresh air, being as quiet as he could so as not to wake the young boy sleeping on his couch. After getting dressed he walked into his bathroom and began doing his hair when he heard the sound of Roxas stirring outside and then the soft sound of bear feet slapping against the stone floor.  
Axel turned to the doorway of the restroom and saw the young blonde standing there rubbing the sleep form his eyes and yawning. Axel just smiled and turned back to the mirror.

"Good morning" the redhead muttered.

"Hmm" The blonde grunted and yawned again. "What time is it?"

The redhead shrugged.  
"Hey I'm going for a walk you wanna come?"  
Roxas cocked his head to one side and then shrugged

"Sure I guess."

"Alright, get dressed then. Oh yeah" the redhead said putting down his hair brush and taking off back into his room walking over to his dresser he grabbed up a bundle of black clothing and a pair of black boots. Turning back to the blonde he handed them over to him. "Xigbar came by earlier and dropped these off for you."  
The blonde looked down at the bundle.

"You get dressed I'll be waiting out here." Axel said gently nudging Roxas toward the restroom and closing the door behind him. The redhead sighed and grabbed his black coat off its hook by the dresser and shrugged it on. A few minutes later the blonde emerged from the bathroom clad in the uniform attire of the Organization. Axel looked up when he saw Roxas at his side,

"Lookin' sharp kid. Now come on let's get going" he said picking himself up from his bed.  
Once out in the hall the two walked side by side in a somewhat uncomfortable silence until Roxas piped up,

"So who are the other people in the Organization?"

"Hmm. Oh, well let's see, there's Number I; Xemnas the Superior, you met him, oh and don't buy into the things he tells you the guy's full of nothing buy hot air.  
Then there's Number II; Xigbar: The Free Shooter. You met him as well; don't let him scare you he's a pretty good guy. Number III; is Xaldin: the Whirlwind Lancer; I don't really know much about the guy other than he prefers to be left alone and that he's friends with Xigbar.  
Number IV; Vexen: the Chilly Academic; he's our little mad scientist of the group, and believe you me he's not one to be trusted. Number V; is Lexaeus: the Silent Hero; I don't know much about him other than he's big and quiet…and big. There's Number VI; Zexion: the Cloaked Schemer; another quiet one that I don't know much about, but he can be trusted, or at least I trust him anyway.  
Number VII; is Saïx: the Luna Diviner; he's as crazy as Xemnas and personally I don't like the guy. He's too close with Xem and the asshole always brags about how he remembers how it felt like to have a heart. Number VIII is me, they call me the Flurry of Dancing Flames and like I've told you I'm a good guy…well when I wanna be.  
Number IX; is Demyx: the Melodious Nocturne, he's a good friend of mine and is actually one of the friendlier and laid back people here.  
Number X; Luxord: the Gambler of Fate; he's a master at card games and will do anything for your munny or sometimes your life. Next is Number XI; Marluxia: the Graceful Assassin; he's a piece of work that one, I don't trust him even though he trusts me. Number XII; is Larxene: the Savage Nymph; I told you about her already, I don't like her."

"And then there's me." Roxas cut it.

"Yeah, and then there's you, Number XIII. The only member I know absolutely nothing about. Do you know anything about you?" Axel asked looking down at the blonde.  
He shrugged,

"Other than my name not much, just that when you brought me to Xemnas he looked at me like…like something valuable." Roxas said choosing his words carefully as he spoke.

"Hmm, I wonder." The redhead said more to himself than to the teen.  


As the two made their way down the hall Axel heard someone call out his name from behind them. Turning around the redhead spotted Demyx at the other end of the hall and waved. The older blonde ran over and threw an arm around the redhead's shoulders.

"Hey, hey guess what" Demyx said happily.

"What?"

"I have a free day today, no work for me and Mr. Xem hasn't announced any meetings today so I'm going to go somewhere. Hey you wanna come with…hey who's he?" the nocturne blurted out pointing at Roxas.

"Oh" Axel smiled and pushed Roxas in front of him. "Dem, meet Roxas our newest member, Roxas meet Demyx."  
Demyx extended a hand to Roxas,

"Hey there Roxas nice to meet ya" The younger blonde took his hand and gave it a shake.

"Nice to meet you too" Roxas said.

"So are you watching him?" Demyx asked looking up at Axel. The redhead nodded.

"Yeah, Xem said it was part of my punishment can you believe that?"

"Aw, what the hell Axel, no fair, I'm really starting to think that you're turning into Mr. Xem's favorite or something man."  
Axel gave a little laugh at the expression on Demyx's face.

"Hardly Dem, to tell you the truth I can't tell you why he's being so nice." Axel shrugged, "I guess I should be a little more grateful though."

The older blonde waved a hand dismissively in the air,  
"Yeah whatever. So where were you guys headed?"

"Oh I was going to Memory's Skyscraper, you wanna come?" the redhead offered.  
Demyx shook his head,

"Nah, I'm going somewhere, but I'll catch ya later."

Axel lifted an eyebrow.  
"Where are you going?"

"Oh I don't know somewhere that's not here that's for sure."

"Alright, just watch yourself."

The older blonde scowled at the redhead.  
"Yeah, yeah I will. You people expect so little out of me I swear." He said making vague circles with his hand as he walked away from the two.

Axel and Roxas headed out of the headquarters building and out into the surrounding empty city streets. Axel would often come to the skyscraper to clear his mind and to just get away from the others if they were causing him any trouble. He had never taken anyone else with him before.  
Axel climbed the few steps to the top landing and took a seat, Roxas following suite and sitting beside the redhead.  
Axel watched the teen out of the corner of his eye as he ran his hand through his mess of blonde hair and turned toward Axel. He quickly averted his gaze.  
  
"Axel"

"Yeah"

"How did you find out who you really were? I mean like did you get your name from Xemnas too?"  
The redhead cocked his head to one side in thought.

"You know I don't really remember how I got my name."  
Roxas nodded.  
The two just sat on the cold steps in silence, neither one knowing what to say to the other.  
The entire while Axel couldn't help notice the odd yet somehow familiar aching in his chest had returned. Placing a hand over the site of the pain he groaned softly as he leaned forward.  
Roxas raised an eyebrow at the older man and leaned in towards him.

"Axel what's wrong?" the blonde said.  
Axel looked at the teen and smiled, sitting back up he exhaled a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding. He nodded.

"Yeah I'm fine" the redhead said as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Are you sure?" the blond inquired.  
The redhead looked at Roxas with a convincing smile, noting the worried gaze the teen held upon him. Axel was about to say something when the pair noticed a portal of darkness open before them. A somewhat large tall man stepped out lowering his hood revealing long thick braids of black hair. Axel's eyes narrowed at the sight of the man.

"What do you want Xaldin?" the redhead demanded.  
Walking over to the pair he just smiled.

"Calm down, I'm just here for Roxas." He explained, reaching into his pocket he pulled put a slip of paper and held it out to the teen, "your first assignment from Xemnas."  
Roxas hesitated at first but then reached out taking the slip and unfolded it. As the blonde scanned over its contents Xaldin pointed at Axel who was staring at his superior coldly.

"And you have to go with him."

"Why?"

"Xemnas did make you his guardian didn't he?"

"Guardian huh" Axel said turning his gaze away from the lancer looking over at the teen who looked like he was thinking over what he just read.

"You best keep your eye on him Axel unless you want Xemnas on your ass again." Xaldin said before giving the redhead a half hearted laugh as he turned on his heel and disappeared into darkness, leaving the two yet again in dark cold silence.  
Axel just heaved a sigh and racked his hand through his hair.

"Axel I can go by myself you know" the teen offered.  
Axel shook his head,

"Nah, I have to go whether or not you or I want me to, it's part of my punishment."

"Punishment?"

"Yep, watching you is what I get for not feeling well." The redhead said as he stood up from the steps.

"So, what does the paper say?" Axel asked turning his gaze back to Roxas.  
The blonde stared back down at the slip before him and read;

"To Number XIII; Roxas: the Key of Destiny,  
you are to go to the ruins of Hollow Bastion and eliminate the hoards of Heartless that are gathered there." The teen paused, "What are Heartless?"

"You'll find out soon enough, just keep reading" Axel said.  
Roxas went back to reading;

"you will be accompanied by Number VIII on this mission for your safety. Please note that if the Heartless become too much for you to handle withdraw at anytime." Roxas paused and looked up at Axel, "that's all it says."

"Huh, he gave you a title." The redhead whispered to himself.

"What?" Roxas asked.

"Nothing" Axel smiled down at the teen and held out a hand to him, "come on let's get going."  
Roxas nodded and took the redhead's hand and allowed Axel to help him up. Opening up a portal of darkness the two walked through and within moments appeared in The Dark Depths in front of the castle of Hollow Bastion.

"Welcome to Hollow Bastion my friend, the most beautiful piece of nothing if I ever did see one." Axel said as he walked over to the edge of the cliff that over looked the ruins of the once mighty castle.  
Roxas who was still behind Axel, looked around with a look of pure awe on his face.

"H-how'd you do that?" the blonde asked the redhead as he met up with him at the edge of the cliff.

"You'll learn. Look there." Axel said pointing down to the ground that surrounded the ruins. The blonde followed the path of Axel's finger. There he saw what looked to be just an endless pit of darkness but once looking closer the teen realized that the ground itself was moving.

"What the"

"Those are Heartless; begins without hearts." Axel explained  
Roxas looked back up at the redhead, horror etched into his features.

"Xemnas wants me to takeout all those things by myself?"  
Axel shook his head.

"I'm here to help."

"But there's just so many"

"True, but they're nothing but weak little Shadows, nothing to worry about. Now come on, I'd like to get his done with before nightfall." Axel said as he jumped down from the cliff and into the mass of blackness below.

"Hey wait!" Roxas called after Axel. He backed away from the edge of the cliff for a brief second and decided that there was probably no harm in jumping seeing as the redhead had done it without the slightest trace of fear or anything in his features.  


The blonde swallowed thickly as he neared the edge of the cliff without looking down he stepped off and let himself fall, the bitter air rushing past him roaring in his ears. Before he could register anything else happing around him he realized that his feet were planted firmly on the ground. Opening his eyes he saw Axel before with a smile on his face.

"It took you long enough." He said in between attacks on the small bug like Heartless that surrounded them. "I could use a little hand here" the redhead called doing his best at this point to keep the Heartless back.

"Right" Axel heard Roxas say from himself and saw a brief flash of light and the sound of metal on metal like that of swords clashing. Throwing back some Heartless Axel turned to look at the blonde, his emerald eyes growing wide at the sight that befell them. Held in both of the teen's hands were Keyblades. The one in his right hand was dark, rough, and almost demonic in appearance were as the one in his left seemed to be crafted of the finest of silver and held a more elegant and delicate form.  
Axel pushed some Heartless away and jumped back towards Roxas the two back to back staring around at the mass of black before them.

"We're supposed to get rid of all of them?" called the blonde over his shoulder.

"Nah, but it sure would be fun to try." Axel said as he lunged forward cutting down a few Shadows in his path. Roxas followed suite and jumped into the fray, cutting a path through the Heartless with little effort. Axel observed this feat from just a few meters away taking in the moves of the young boy, he fought like a pro. Turning back into battle the two eventually met up again an hour later, both equally worn.

"Call it day?" the redhead called.

Roxas shook his head and smiled,  
"Nope, I'm just getting started!" The teen cried as he hurled his black Keyblade into the air at a larger Shadow that had leaped into the air. Jumping up Roxas retrieved his blade from the air with ease and upon coming back down slashed outward with both blades cutting down several in one sweep before standing back up fully and throwing Axel an arrogant smile.  
Seeing this as a challenge the redhead smiled back.

"Oh yeah, well check this out!" he called jumping back both chakrams held at his sides burst into flame before he hurled the two blazing weapons into a wall of Heartless. Roxas watched and saw that the redhead was controlling the wheels of fire through some unseen force causing them rip and tear their ways through the throng of blackness in front of them before returning to Axel's hands.

"So what do ya think about that?" the redhead said heaving one of the large wheels over his shoulder and returning Roxas' smile.  
Having had taken out quite a few with just a single attack Roxas looked beat but the younger Nobody wasn't about to let that that be the case.

"That was cool but I think I have something better." The blonde said before Axel watches him rush forward, dragging both Keyblades just behind him before he lifts them begins to twirl them in his hands, cutting down a considerable amount of Heartless. Axel notices that Roxas eventually loosens his grip almost letting go of the blades and watches as they begin to float alongside the teen.

Roxas turns back around to face Axel and gives him a cocky smile, before jumping into the air almost appearing to float, the Keyblades at his sides. He holds out his arms and the blades rise above him and begin to circle around him as he slowly descends from the air. Reaching a certain point in the air the blonde flips and dives head first into the mass of Heartless below, plowing through them with ease. Zipping along the ground, his Keyblades hacking and slashing this way and that, he soon regains his ground after he cannot see any more Heartless within his path.  
Righting himself and dusting off his coat, he grabs his Keyblades from above him before turning around and looking back at Axel, who to his surprise has a blank expression on his face.

Axel just stood watching the fair-haired boy from afar who was giving him that stupid grin. He couldn't make any sense of what he had just witnessed. This kid that he found in some little town was a Keyblade wielder, and not only that, oh no. It was the fact that the kid had such control and skill over such a weapon that bewildered the redhead the most.  
Pulling himself from his thoughts he looked back up at Roxas. He suddenly looked very tired and dazed.

"Roxas?" Axel asked looking worryingly at the blonde. Roxas gave a nervous laugh before the Keyblades abruptly disappeared and he fell to his knees. Axel rushed forward to the blonde's side just before the rest of the boy's body hit the ground and caught him in his arms. At this moment that strange yet familiar pain sprung up in his chest again.

"Roxas" the redhead said his voice trenched in worry. The teen stirred slightly and tried to open his eyes but failed. The redhead looked around him and notices that Heartless were closing in around them. Lifting the boy he tears open a doorway of darkness and steps through quickly.  
Within moments he appears in his bedroom and placed the blonde on his bed. He was in deep shit if anyone knew he let the kid do this to himself. Racking his hand through his hair and pacing back and forth the length of his bed thinking over things in his head when suddenly he heard the teen cough softly, looking over at Roxas who drew his eyes tightly together.

"Roxas?" Axel breathed as he watched the blonde slowly wake. Roxas finally opened his eyes staring up at the ceiling.  
Axel sat down on the edge of the bed and stared down at the teen with a relieved expression.  
"You had me worried kid" the redhead said reaching out and ruffling the blonde's hair. Roxas sat up, rubbing at the back of his head.

"What happened?" Roxas asked.

"You passed out"

"Oh yeah" Roxas let out a soft laugh and looked up at Axel with the slightest trace of a smirk on his lips. "I guess I did it huh?"  
The redhead just smiled back.

"You feeling okay now?"

"Yeah I guess"  
  
"Well then you lie down and get some rest alright. I'm going to go up to Xemnas and tell him how the mission went."

Axel said. As he turned to leave he heard the blonde whisper,  
"Axel"

The redhead turned and faced the youth.  
"Yeah?"

"Don't you think I should do that? I mean it was my assignment." Roxas explained. Axel just stared at the boy.

"Yeah I guess, I mean if you really want to that is."

Roxas just shrugged,  
"I'll do it later" he said and let himself fall back into Axel's bed. Axel just smiled and walked over to the bed and lied down next to the blonde.

"I can do it for you it's no big deal." Axel offered.  
Roxas turned his head to look at the redhead who was smiling at him.

"You're lying"

Axel raised an eyebrow,  
"How can you tell?"  
Roxas was still staring at Axel, his brilliant blue eyes burning holes into him.

"'Cause you always smile when you lie" the teen said.  
The kid was right he did. Roxas had noticed something about him that only he himself knew.  
"Am I right?"

"No" but despite himself a smile tugged at his lips.

"Yeah I am" Roxas said and gave a little laugh at the look on the redhead's face.  
Axel laughed with him, but then he noticed just how close the two of them were. Their faces were only inches apart. Axel suddenly stopped laughing when a twinge of pain shot through his body. He didn't bring any attention to it because he didn't want to worry the boy.  
"You figured that out from only being with me for two days?"  
Blonde nodded.

"It's this weird habit I have. I watch people."

"I can tell"  
Roxas just smiled. The two lied there in silence for a moment, staring into each other's eyes. Emerald seas reflecting sky blue orbs.  
That when the strangest thought ran through Axel's mind. What would happen if he tried to kiss the blonde? He didn't know why this thought had occurred to him so suddenly but it had and he didn't know how exactly to respond to it.  
Suddenly the redhead was shaken from his thought when he felt something pressing up against his chest. Looking down he saw Roxas' hand and then looked back up at Roxas.

"Can I help you?" Axel said with a small laugh. Roxas shook his head.  
After a moment the teen pulled his hand away and looked into the redhead's eyes.

"There's nothing there is there."

Axel shook his head,  
"Nope, nothing at all."  
Upon hearing this Roxas grabbed hold of redhead's hand and placed it over his own chest. At first Axel felt nothing just like his should but then strange warmth worked its way through his gloved hand.  
Axel said nothing.

"Can you feel it?"

"The warmth?"

"It only happens when I'm around you. Other than that it's never happened ever before."  
Axel didn't know to say, but them he figured that it couldn't hurt to tell Roxas what had been going on with him since he showed up.

"Actually it's not that weird."

"Why?"

"'Cause the same thing has been going on with me, it only happens when I see you though, or when you say or do certain things."

"Like what?"

"Like when you say my name…and whenever you smile."

"What happens?"

"I get this really bad aching pain in my chest" he placed a hand on his chest, "right here, where my heart should be."  
Roxas just looked at the older man with sad eyes.

"Roxas…don't worry about it's no big deal" the redhead said. Roxas just lowered his gaze and rested his head into the crook of Axel's neck. At first Axel didn't know what to make of the closeness but then just wrapped his arms around the teen.

"Look at me Roxas" he ordered. The blonde looked up, his blue eyes filled with tears. He wasn't expecting that, in fact he didn't even know that Nobodies could cry.

"Roxas…do-don't cry. I told you it's not that big a deal, don't worry 'bout it."  
Roxas nodded. Axel brought a hand to the teen's face and wiped a few stray tears away with his thumb and without really thinking in the slightest placed a soft kiss on the blonde's lips. It just seemed like the right thing to do at the time.  
Roxas opened his eyes and looked at his friend.  
Axel just smiled back, he was still unsure as to what he had just done.  
Roxas smiled back and returned the kiss. The redhead tensed up at the touch but soon relaxed into it and kissed back, causing the kiss to become slightly more intimate.

Closed lipped but soon open mouthed, tongues fighting a war of dominance, either giving into the other. A hand tugging at strands of fire while another searches its way through tresses of gold.  
The two parted for a moment only because they realized that they needed to take a breath.  
Looks were exchanged for the briefest of moments before small smiles were shared. Roxas lowered his head to rest into the crook of the redhead's neck. Axel just rested his chin atop the teen's head taking in the scent of his hair.  
  
"I don't know…what just happened." Axel whispered.  
Roxas didn't say anything he just smiled. Looking back up into Axel's eyes he said,

"Either do I."

AN: Reviews as always, and I hoped you enjoyed this.


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